Battery Life and Conclusion
Battery Life
You might immediately notice two things here: first, the iPad Mini 2 didn't finish the test (as before with the Venue 8 review it kept crashing during the test, but I'll update the chart if I can correct this later), and second, the Venue 10 7000 suffers from some pretty dismal battery life. In actual use it certainly provided more than 6.18 hours on a single charge, but if you through in video playback or gaming and it will last much less than even this low number. Given how well the Venue 8 performed in this department it's the larger display size that sinks the Venue 10.
Even at 7000 mAh (the smaller Venue 8 contains a 5900 mAh battery) there simply isn't a large enough battery to make up for the needs of a big, high-res display like this. I understand why Dell would be reluctant to make the chassis thicker, but I would like to see the battery life up there with the Venue 8. Still, the 180 lux brightness level we run for these battery tests is quite high, (about 75% brightness) so if you run around 50% most of the time (as I do) you'll see results much closer to those of the Venue 8.
Conclusion
My primary concern entering this review was just how useful such a device would be for me, considering it runs Android and not Windows. My previous foray into Android tablets was the original Nexus 7, and with most of the available apps simply larger versions of their smartphone counterparts it wasn’t a compelling experience. So with this Venue 10, which at $499 for the unit without keyboard costs as much as a Microsoft Surface or an Apple iPad Air 2, I was prepared to be underwhelmed.
I will admit that the cursor support and dedicated keyboard buttons for back and home made using the Venue 10 as a laptop a surprisingly good experience. I could have been convinced I was using Windows when I was two-finger scrolling and typing in Chrome, and web browsing overall was a highlight of my experience. Productivity using Google Drive was also top-notch, and with these two apps we have an example of Google’s own commitment to their tablet OS platform. When compared to a Chromebook, on which I would be doing the same work that I came to do using Google’s core apps on this Venue 10, I would take the Dell tablet every time.
There are two tremendous advantages that the Venue 10 will have when comparing it to other tablets. The first is the OLED display, which is so rich and possesses such endless contrast as to make images seem almost three-dimensional. The second is the keyboard, which seems rather outrageously priced at $159, but a little more reasonable at $130 (the same cost as a Microsoft Type Pad) when purchased with the Venue 10 as a combo. The hinge is superb, the keys feel solid and have satisfying travel, and the trackpad is excellent – far more accurate and smoother than many regular laptops.
My verdict on the Dell Venue 10 7000 is that it’s a fantastic product from a hardware design standpoint, and Dell should be commended for really getting the convertible tablet right. No floppy keyboards and awkward kickstands, the Venue 10 keyboard’s hinge is strong and smooth; and while the keyboard is a much lighter than the tablet (which can make it feel a little unbalanced from a weight perspective) is still the best implementation I’ve seen for a product like this. And it just made me wish it ran Windows more and more each time I powered it up.
Bottom line, if I was reviewing the Venue 10 7000 strictly for its hardware and design, it would achieve our highest award status. As delivered however it is a flawed product due to the relatively poor battery life, underwhelming SoC performance from the Atom Z3580, and of course the mixed experience of Android as a tablet OS. Still, there's enough good to warrant a recommendation, though I highly recommend a demo first if you aren't sold on the Android tablet experience.
This really needs a storage
This really needs a storage slot such as a microsd. I think if they sold this with Windows 10, this would make a killer mini laptop.
It has a MicroSD slot.
It has a MicroSD slot.
It does, and I completely
It does, and I completely forgot about that!
spyware
spyware
That price is bananas, you
That price is bananas, you would need to be on some good drugs to choose this android tablet over a Surface 3.
64GB Surface 3 and keyboard: $629
This crazy thing and keyboard:$838
Got that right !
Got that right !
The screen is the big
The screen is the big difference there.
OMG let’s strip down the
OMG let’s strip down the performance to sub-netbook levels and charge dearly for the chance to own such a gimped down SKU. No it’s a jack of all trades and an expert at none! What about getting one with Linux Mint, and as Carrizo APU. I’ll wait for the K12/Carrizo equlivent, and maybe a Steam OS based gaming tablet! Can this be any more overpriced!
How is this overpriced
How is this overpriced Android tablet given a silver award? Battery life is terrible, yet seems to be ok considering it’s a convertible Android tablet with an OLED screen? Throw Windows 10 on there and you’ll have a decent option. And in the conclusion, I like how you throw in the awkward kickstand reference… Is that to say the Surface series has such a kickstand? The only instance in which that would be true is if you’re trying to use the Surface in your lap. How often is that done? Especially when you’re trying to be productive? Please, don’t try to tell me you, as a responder to my comment, always do productive work using your lap. I don’t think that the work you are doing is that productive at all, if that’s the case.
My main beef is the inability of a reviewer to not rate a product bad just because a company sent them it. Have the guts to actually say what you think, which you sort of did in the beginning of your conclusion. That was until you salvaged the attempt by photoshoping your statement to make this tablet look better than it actually does.
Why not? I always use my
Why not? I always use my laptop in my lap, as I have a desktop for more serious work (photo editing, etc.). Why is that an unusual case? Sitting back in the sofa or sitting up in bed writing? There are tons of people who use laptops on tables (at the coffee shop, at home on a table or desk) and are fine with a kickstand, but I’ve never been this way. You clearly disagree but I don’t consider a device to be truly portable it if needs a table to function. For this reason I find the Surface kickstand to be inadequate.
It’s easier to accuse a writer of bias than it is to objectively review a product on its own merit. Is the Venue 10 too expensive? Yes. I would expect an Android tablet to cost $100 or so less than Surface/iPad. I mentioned in the review that I wished it ran Windows, that I wanted to use the device running Windows, and made the Android OS my biggest complaint throughout. I called it a flawed product but pointed out the incredible hardware design, which really is first rate and if I could get a Surface with this hinge I’d do it today.
I also urged readers to try it out before buying as the Android OS on a tablet isn’t for everyone. If you read through the conclusion I explained my position. Disagree as you do, but blithely calling me prejudiced is uninformed at best. You have the same need to pander to Dell as I, as long as that is zero.
These are the things that
These are the things that need to be included in the review. Perspective, along with the reviewer’s opinion make for a better overall picture. While I do agree that people use laptopsconvertibles in their laps, being productive with it is another thing. Even if you can type while in your lap, is that a preferred method for extended sessions? Have you done a multipage review while holding a laptop in just your lap? I have, and it’s certainly no fun. Which brings us back to the surface and it’s kickstand. The stand makes it a productive machine while not in your lap, but the ability to use the touch interface makes it portable and easy enough to use for quick lap jobs. And none of that makes the Surface a truly portable device…? In your opinion. What is, then? A MacBook? MacBook Air? Any other traditional laptop? The MacBook and Air have no touchscreens available… In my opinion that makes them not truly portable devices.
Maybe an idea for a review for you to cover, is one where you try to find the prime device to fit in this ‘truly portable’ category. I think you’ll find that such a device doesn’t exist, since arguments can be made about any product to the contrary of what you are set out to prove.
While this Dell Android tablet is of very high quality in build, it’s more of a proof of concept product. Will it sell well? I don’t think so, do you? If it won’t sell well, why would you make it other than to say you can?
Sebastian, how clean was the
Sebastian, how clean was the headphone jack? I saw complaints about noise in the Venue 8 7000, and this kind of thing is a deal breaker for me. Was there any noise, especially with low impedance IEMs.
PS. There’s a typo on the last page: “through”.